My Why

I guess I should have seen this coming. For a few years now, I’ve photographed families and graduating seniors while also working as an event coordinator. Photography was a side hustle. I’ve always loved taking too many pictures of my kids, our vacations, and the people in our lives. But this summer, I very hesitantly dipped my toes into something new: I photographed my first wedding. And I was hooked!

I already knew from experience that I thrive on taming the chaos that is large events. What I hadn’t experienced before was that perfect combination of photography and events, where I can capture the fleeting emotional moments that make an event important in people’s lives. Now that I’ve tasted this perfect blend, I know this is the kind of wedding photography I want to produce every time. Candid. Emotional. Authentic. I want to show my couples the strong human connections that were fostered through beautiful, shared experiences on the most important day of their lives.

Part of this perspective comes from someone who shared his perspective and interests with me from a young age—my grandpa. He was a professional wedding photographer who specialized in candid imagery back before it was trendy. Twenty-five years ago, he photographed my wedding as his gift to me. Those photos perfectly captured my wedding day, and I love remembering that Grandpa was the man behind the camera. He passed away a year ago, and now every time I pick up my camera, I feel a little closer to him. I can almost hear him telling me again, “Scenery is nice, but pictures are more meaningful with people in them.” And he’s right. It’s all about the people and their shared experiences.

So cheers to the people in our lives who inspire and support us! I’m so grateful to my people and this new, unexpected adventure.

I’ll be using this blog to share the stories behind the weddings I photograph and the things I learn as a candid wedding photographer here in Utah. I hope you’ll follow my journey!